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Project title

New Cobalt based selenides as electrocatalysts for water splitting and fuel cell applications

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

Maynooth University (MU)

Lead Applicant

Gillian Collins

Project Abstract

It is well established that the burning of fossil fuels gives rise to the production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. As these continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, dramatic changes are emerging in the Earth’s Climate. To salvage the Earth from the negative impacts of Climate Change, several clean energy technologies have emerged, including water, solar and wind. However, these are intermittent and are not always reliable. For example, on sunny days solar panels convert light into electricity, but on a cloudy day this process is not very efficient. Could this excess green energy be harvested and used? This may be possible by using a combination of electrolysis and fuel cells. Low cost and renewable surplus electricity could be used to split the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen using a process called electrolysis. The hydrogen could then be converted back to electricity using a fuel cell. The by-product in this entire process is water, giving a clean technology with no toxic or greenhouses gases. Moreover, fuel cells are now being considered as a source of heat and electricity for buildings and as an electric power source for electric vehicles. Furthermore, hydrogen based fuel cells have Detailed proposal a high energy efficiency, and can be operated at room temperature, making them very attractive in providing clean energy. However, the sluggish and slow kinetics and the high costs of the electrocatalytic materials needed to facilitate the water splitting and fuel cell reactions undermine the performance of this promising technology. Currently, the best performing electrocatalytic materials are carbon-supported platinum (Pt), however these platinum-based electrocatalysts are very expensive (about $1,500/ounce) and this makes fuel cells too expensive for commercial applications. My mission, as a PhD student, is to engineer the next generation of electrocatalysts, aiming to reduce cost, and increase stability and durability.

Grant Approved

�110,000.00

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/09/2022

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2026